One Last Crusade
by Enforcer Jericho
Summary: Story takes place 10 years later after the epilogue in U4. Nate has been estranged from his family for the past five years. Cassie has moved out and now Nate goes to see his daughter. One Last Time. Inspired by a song: Riding to New York by Passenger. A few OCs as the site doesn't allow more than four characters. :/ R&R please then I will know if I can write well. :)
1. Chapter 1

Well, hello ladies and germs. This is my first ever fanfic after reading fanfiction for so long I've decided to start writing. I am working on a novel right now (have been since 2008 to be honest) and I've decided to stop waiting and start writing small stories here.

Please review my work so I can see if my writing is good enough. I have been trying to find as many people as I can to review my novel once it is finished. Guess I'm doing the same thing here.

I am open to all constructive criticism so please be civil and as detailed as you desire.

Hope you enjoy it.

This story takes place 10 years after Uncharted 4's Epilogue. I was inspired by a song I was listening to called Riding to New York by Passenger.

I thought well I love this song and I love Uncharted how can I make a story out of it and out came this.

:D

 **CHAPTER ONE**

Nathan Drake hated hospitals. It reminded him of his age and he did not like that. Made him think of things he no longer could do. Made him reminisce over the past at every opportunity. Made him remember his failures. His failure to being a good father to Cassie. His failure to being a good husband to Elena. His failure of no longer being the daredevil, adventurous soul he once lived for. Was he just being too hard on himself? Elena not once ever showed signs of unrest being with Nate. She always mentioned that she felt lucky to find someone who matched her soul. Her soul mate: Nate.

Maybe he should have listened to Sam. He always went on and on about how he will miss the adventure after 10 years of searching treasure in the most uncharted of places around the world.

Nate stopped putting his body in the line five years ago. He smiled to himself look at him now: A fifty something year old man waiting in a hospital for the doctor to call him for his appointment. He knew that he just had to make peace with the fact that the past is gone. Nothing can be done about that. You just make peace and accept the things you can't change. Look forward to the new challenges that old age would bring. Sure, dying of boredom in a hospital will never be like being chased by crazy South African mercenaries in the mountains of Libertalia. But it was good to actually have some time where he can just relax. No noise, no mayhem and no killing.

"Mr Drake?"

"Yep" he said standing up and walking into the office.

"You're test results have come in," the doctor spoke once they were seated; "it is just as thought it would."

"Do you people actually love saying stuff like that?" Nate asked sarcastically

"Mr. Drake, your liver is at a fatal stage," the doctor ignored him "your body no longer will be able to hold you. Due to heavy alcohol misuse, your liver will cease to function. We just don't know when. Best thing I can tell you is to see the rest of your time in peace and do the things that make you happy."

Well that was blunt. Nate seriously thought that doctors must love saying stuff like that. He wondered if one of the tests in their course is to state the obvious and to have some kind of personality test of masochism. Yes, you are just sick in the head enough to be a doctor.

Nate walked out of the hospital. He knew this was coming Nate but it still doesn't make it any less devastating feeling. What should he do now? When was the last time he saw Cassie? Wasn't it last Christmas? Nate got annoyed that his memory was starting to forget the basic things that once made him think that you would need a fork to delete off his memory.

Maybe it's a good time to reconnect with my daughter, Nate thought. He wanted to make sure that if he failed her, and it wasn't just him thinking that, then he would seek to repair that mistake. She had a family of her own now, all grown up, Nate's little baby girl.

Nate called Cassie and told her that he wants to see them and he would be in New York in a few days. Cassie, much to Nate's surprise, was ecstatic and said that finally Nate would be able to see her son. Nate ended the call and found Sam digging around in his garden. Even in his old age, he refused to just sit down and relax minus that one time in Libertalia.

"Are you done fondling the plants, Sam?"

"No way," he replied wiping the sweat off his head and standing up "you know me"

"Yeah I do and that is what's scaring me"

Sam laughed genuinely.

"So what did the doc say?"

Nate told him in detail about the doctor's consultation and his plan to go and see his daughter one last time and the reason why he wants to.

"Brother," Sam started "you are the only one who isn't seeing that you did the best you ever could for Cassie. If she is a healthy, happy young mother with a fulfilling wife and wonderful family, half of that is because of you."

"And Elena is responsible for the other half" Nate said sadly

"Nathan," Sam sighed "let it go. It's killing you. There's nothing that can be done about Elena and you know it. You've spent the last five years of your life in agony. It's not helping you."

"Maybe you're right," Nate agreed with a sigh of his own "I'll take one of your bikes to see Cassie."

"You are riding all the way to New York?" Sam asked incredulously. Though he shouldn't have been surprised. This is still Nathan Drake.

"Why not?" he said "have you seen the prices of the trains? Plus, I love riding bikes – the freedom, the wind – and before you make any jokes about my age, you know I can still ride. Much better than you and you're older than me!"

"Do you have to bring that up?" he smiled

"You started it" Nate bite back

Nate was on his way out of the door after he had gathered some money and the water he would need for the cross-state travel when Sam was waiting for him by the door. They both knew that this may just be the last time that they will see each other.

"Man," Sam wiped his dry face with his hand "Nathan."  
They shared a stare and in that moment they both understood what was going on. One of those magic moments that words would have been too much needed and spoil the mood. Just the wind. The stare.

They embraced and Sam couldn't hold his tears anymore.

"I will miss you" he replied

"Hey! I'm not dead yet!" Nate protested

Sam looked at him and burst out a small laugh.

"Maybe not."

If you enjoyed it please Review. Then I will know whether or not I should continue this or move on.

Thanks ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

As he rode from the forests of Wisconsin, Nate thought about what Sam said. _You're the only person who isn't seeing that you did the best you ever could for Cassie._ For someone to say such a thing, not only they must know you – which Sam did no question – but also must have been seeing some progress that missed you're eyes – Nate's eyes. But what was that progress?

In a few hours he was in Chicago and decided that he would rent a motel room here before he continued on. It was getting late and he had grown tired. Of course, the water he had was long gone and some of his money too.

Nate found a cheap motel and after paying for the fee went straight to his room. Nate locked the door and dropped his bag leaving his bike outside in the parking lot. Chained, of course. This is Chicago after all. As he lay there, Nate's thoughts went to Cassie. Of course he knew that Cassie had a son. Nate's Grandson – Kevin. Just a few months old but Nate had never been able to see him. Just never got around to it.

Nate could think of several excuses for not but the truth was the failure feeling and he felt ashamed to see her. It didn't seem that long ago that Nate was just telling Cassie about his adventures on their holiday home. She was just a teenager at the time. _She's older than you and Sam when you started all this_. Elena.

Maybe Nate didn't fail Elena. Nate was thinking about it. It wasn't his idea to buy Jamison's business all those years ago but it was his idea to get a normal steady work and Jamison just happened to be the right guy for it. Nate hadn't heard from him in a long time. He took his phone out and texted Sam about finding Jamison and seeing what he is up to. Sam replied he will.

Nate still remembered their first meeting in Indonesia. She had chastised him for defiling his ancestor's remains and Nate, as usual, replied that you can't defile a body that didn't exist. Elena had to put up with so much crap from Nathan and she always stood beside him. She never left him, even when he did. Nate left Elena so many times that he was starting to think that she will certainly return the favour sometime. But she never did.

Nate woke up early the next day and continued on his journey through the fields of Ohio. Nate picked up the pace through Pennsylvania and he had managed to keep in relatively decent shape to handle this one crazy crusade. One crazy last crusade. That was the fuel that kept him going even at his 50s.

As he was nearing New York, his mind wandered off to Cassie once more. Was he a good father to her really? Sam wasn't just kidding or exaggerating? No, that's not Sam's style. Whatever Sam wanted to say, he would bluntly and openly say it. When he didn't want to bring sarcasm into it that is. With things like this though, he never brought sarcasm.

Was Elena a good mother to Cassie? Of course she was. Cassie always spoke well and inspirational whenever her mother was mentioned. There was nothing that Nate can remember Cassie saying about Elena that was bad. Cassie also said that if she has a daughter, she will not only name her Elena but hope she will be just like her. Yes, Elena was definitely a wonderful mother.

Nate always regretted teaching Cassie a lot of things he did. Especially the adventure of treasure hunting. Cassie had even more near death experiences than Nate and he couldn't make sure whether that was something he should be proud of because he had surpassed her or feel bad about teaching her irresponsibility.

Nate realised that he was thinking wrongly of her about being irresponsible. She had taken over Nate and Elena's business of D&F fortunes and made it into a gigantic business where she was a key figure of. That sure is a good sign of being responsible. Cassie also had a family and he will be seeing really soon if they were happy. Maybe that would give Nate the closure he is seeking and finally put all doubt to rest.

Nate lost count of the amount of times he and Elena argued because of Cassie's dangerous adventures. That's why it's still bothering Nate even after all this time. _You'll never stop being overprotective, will you?_ She said several times. Nate didn't know any other alternative. He doesn't regret protecting his daughter because that's what a father should always do. Nate didn't know much about his father. Good riddance. He wouldn't have made much of a difference in his life anyway.

Nobody could ever blame Nate for having doubts as someone once said that the problem with the world was that the foolish people were full of confidence while the smart ones where full of confidence. Nate knew which group he belonged to.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

As Nate approached a large park, he decided he needed one more rest hoping it is the last one. The park was almost completely deserted. A few people were walking their pet dogs on one side, while a group of friends were talking and laughing on the other.

Nate got off his bike and spotted a bench. There was a young man, bearded, with tired eyes. Just like Nate but must be like at least ten to fifteen years younger.

"Excuse me, mind if I sit here?" Nate asked

The man looked up with bloodshot red eyes.

"Yeah, sure," he replied "please sit."

Nate realised as he sat down that the man had a guitar and a load of papers that he was scribbling on. He didn't sound like a native of Pennsylvania.

"Travelling?" Nate asked

"Yeah," he replied looking at him "I'm a busker. I tour around"

"You're not from Pennsylvania then?"  
"No," he confirmed Nate's suspicions "I'm English. Well, my mother is anyway."

"Ah, dad American, huh?"

"Yep, what about you? You travelling too?"

"Sort of. I'm going to see my daughter. I haven't seen her in a long time. She had a baby and I have to make it there as soon as I can. I don't have much time left."

"Why not? It's only like midday"

"No not like that," Nate laughed "this is kind of a long story. You sure you want to listen?"

The young man looked at Nate was interested eyes and gripped his pen and paper more tightly.

"See the doctors told me," Nate started "my body won't hold me. My liver is gone. They can't tell me how long I've got. Months? Hours? So I took this bike and will ride into New York. Started drinking after I lost my wife to cancer five years ago and neglected my daughter."

Nate realised the man started writing furiously on the paper and decided to ignore his excitement.

"She just had a child," Nate looked at a young couple not far from them "and I never got to see him."

"Your daughter?" the man asked

Nate nodded and looked over at the man who was now tinkering with his guitar and busy re-writing his notes.

"What are you doing exactly?" Nate asked suspiciously

"Oh," the man looked up suddenly becoming really red "nothing."

"Come on, kid," Nate said and immediately remembered Sullivan "you're acting a little…hinky"

"Well..uh.." he stammered looking for a response.

"Just say it, man; I'm not going to kill you."

"Well," he started "I was struggling to think about lyrics for my next song. My songs are usually journeys."  
"Journeys?" Nate asked

"Yeah," he continued now much more composed "songs about people going through things. Journeys. Some romantic songs too but not all the time."

"And let me guess: you're gonna use my journey as your next song?"

The man froze in his tracks dropping the pen to the ground.

"How did you know that?" he asked eyes like a deer in headlights

Nate laughed. "It's okay. I'm happy for you to use it."

"Really?" The man at this point was so excited that he could barely contain himself. "Thanks, man, there's so much people that would just sue you for even looking at them."

"I wouldn't know. The people that I've been had…well…much more practical aspirations. They weren't good people either."

"But you are," the man replied picking up his pen off the floor "you definitely are."

Nate wasn't so sure about that. He had killed. Many people. Nate always tried to say that he was forced into the situations rather than having a choice. He knew that was true because on his route to Libertalia when he got stranded on the island, he didn't kill a single person till he made it to the treasury with Sam.

"Where did I leave off?" Nate asked

"Your daughter has a child"

"Right," Nate continued "So I want to see my grandson and feel his heartbeat one last time. I want to see my daughter and say sorry for all the things I taught her. She struggled through her life because of my past life."

"So redemption is what you're looking after?" he asked

"Think so," Nate stood up to leave "I better be going"

"Do you not want to hear how this song would sound?"

"Alright," Nate agreed.

As the man plucked away on his guitar and read off the paper which contained a lot of Nate's words, he could see that the man was very proud of his work. Nate also was proud, for inspiring someone. He was being very hard on himself. He doesn't know this man. He just met him and he just inspired him for his next song.

"It's great," Nate commented after the man was finished playing "but I really need to be on my way now."

The man stood up and extended his hand in appreciation. Nate shook his hand and starting his ride to New York. He was almost there. He was close to achieve what he wanted for so long. What he told the man. Almost there, Nate. Almost there.


End file.
